Home Care for the elderly FAQ in Somerville and neighboring cities

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1. What Is Non Medical Home Care?

“Non Medical Home Care” encompasses a wide array of services but – at its core – involves aides and one in a while, nurses providing assistance and care in a client’s residence.  Depending on the situation, a person may need help around-the-clock, once a day, or for just a few hours a week.

For instance, some people use home care briefly to recover from an injury or a hospitalization.  Others use it to supplement services from assisted living or retirement communities.  Still others use it to remain healthy and independent at home, despite chronic illness or the gradual diminishment of capabilities that come with aging.

2. Why Should I Choose a home health agency Agency Over A Direct Hire?

After deciding that home care is the right option for them, many people ask why they should contract with an agency rather than hire an aide or nurse directly.  The truth is that home care agencies provide significant benefits over direct hires in the areas that matter most to families:

• Employer      Obligations: By hiring an aide or nurse directly, you take on the      legal responsibilities of an employer, including paying payroll taxes,      workers compensation, and unemployment insurance.  Working with a Home Care Agency alleviates you of these responsibilities.
• Peace-of-Mind:      The only background checks that come with a direct hire are those you      conduct yourself.  Home care agencies are required to conduct      criminal background checks and screen their employees.
• Security      & Contingency:  If your direct hire harms you, you’re on your      own.  In contrast, home care agencies are required to carry various      forms of insurance to protect you. They can also quickly provide a      replacement if your aide or nurse is sick, injured, or changes jobs.
• Training      & Supervision: As with background checks, you’re responsible for      training and supervising your direct hire.  Agencies, however, have      the experience, knowledge, and resources to ensure their workers are      thoroughly trained in any services or tasks they perform, including safe      infection control, falls prevention, emergency preparation, and personal      care tasks.

3. Will I have a choice of who comes to my home?

Yes. We encourage your involvement in the decision-making process. And with our proprietary screening and selection system, you can rest assured that we do our best to take the guesswork out of matching the right caregiver to you and your family. However, you must be satisfied. We always try to accommodate any requests you may have for a change in caregivers (as allowed by law)

4. Will my family member always receive care from the same caregiver?

Our goal is to establish a long-term caregiving relationship with your loved one. Should your family want to request another caregiver for any reason, we'll search for a match until your family is happy. We understand that a strong rapport and trust with a caregiver is vital to a successful home care experience.

If your loved one receives care for many hours in a day or at different times of the day throughout the week, it may be necessary to schedule more than one caregiver in a given week. If your family requires multiple caregivers, our goal is the same: we want you to be satisfied and happy. We'll do what it takes to make sure we achieve that goal.

5. Do I need a physician's authorization for your services?

No. You don't need pre-authorization, pre-qualification, certification or even a prescription for Right at Home's services. You choose the services you want, when to start those services and how often those services are used.

If you request assistance with billing a private insurance policy (such as long-term care insurance) for our services, we're happy to help with the entire "benefits coordination" process. This includes providing any documentation you need for reimbursement by an insurance carrier

6. How Do I Pay For Metro Boston Home care’s services?

Paying Privately – out-of-pocket – is a simple, affordable, and flexible      option used by thousands of clients

7. Do I pay the caregiver directly?

No. You (or an authorized representative) are only invoiced after the completion of services. Usually, this happens weekly. You never have to pay caregivers directly. And you'll never be asked to pay an additional fee to any employee.

8. Metro Boston Home Care caregivers provide excellent help at home. Can they assist in locations besides the senior’s residence?

Yes. We can visit seniors anywhere they need care. During hospital stays, our hospital sitters can provide around-the-clock companionship and monitoring for safety.

Many residents of senior care communities also hire Home Care Assistance caregivers to provide the personal one-to-one attention they deserve.

We can even accompany seniors on vacations, enabling them to travel in safety and freedom.